Private Taxi Boat Service with Visit of 1 of the Borromean Islands of Your Choice vs Isola Bella Hop-On Hop-Off Boat Tour from Stresa: Which Tour Is Better?

Updated May 28, 2026

You stand on the shore of Lake Maggiore in Stresa, looking at the Borromean Islands. You have two main options for getting there.

You can hire a private taxi boat for a direct trip to one island of your choice. Or you can buy a ticket for the public Isola Bella hop-on hop-off boat tour.

The choice shapes your entire day on the water. This guide breaks down the practical differences in cost, freedom, and experience so you can pick the right boat for your trip.

Understanding Your Two Core Options

The private taxi boat service is a chartered vessel just for you and your group. You tell the captain which of the three main islands—Isola Bella, Isola Madre, or Isola dei Pescatori—you want to visit.

The boat waits for you and brings you back to Stresa. The journey itself is a private cruise. The Isola Bella hop-on hop-off service is a scheduled public ferry.

It runs on a fixed timetable, stopping at designated piers on Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori, and sometimes Isola Madre. You get on and off at your own pace throughout the day using a single ticket.

Cost and Value Comparison

The price difference between these options is significant and is the first major deciding factor. A private taxi boat is priced per boat, not per person. A typical cost for a round trip to one island for a one-hour visit is between €80 and €120.

This price is for the entire boat, which usually holds up to 6 or 7 passengers. If you are a couple, your per-person cost is high. If you are a family or group of six, the per-person cost becomes very reasonable.

The hop-on hop-off boat tour is priced per person. An adult ticket for the basic circuit costs approximately €15 to €20. You must then purchase separate entry tickets for the palaces and gardens on the islands, which are not included.

Breaking Down the Total Expense

To compare accurately, you must calculate the total cost for your group. For a private boat: one flat fee. For the ferry: number of people multiplied by the ticket price.

A family of four on a private taxi would pay around €100 total. The same family on the hop-on hop-off ferry would pay €60 to €80 just for transport, before any island entry fees.

The private option becomes more financially logical with more people. For a solo traveler, the ferry is vastly more affordable.

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Flexibility and Control of Your Itinerary

This is where the experiences diverge most sharply. A private taxi boat gives you complete control over your schedule. You decide your departure time from Stresa.

You are not waiting for a public timetable. You choose exactly how long you spend on your selected island.

The boat and captain wait for you at the dock. When you are finished, you leave immediately. There is no rushing to catch the last ferry of the day.

The hop-on hop-off tour requires you to plan your day around the ferry schedule. You must note departure times from each island to avoid long waits.

You are sharing the boat with other tourists. Your time on each island is limited by the frequency of the boats.

The Experience On the Water

The journey across Lake Maggiore is part of the attraction. A private taxi boat offers a different perspective.

The smaller, open boat can travel closer to the shoreline and navigate around smaller rocks and coves. The ride is often faster and more direct. It feels like a personal tour.

You can ask the captain to slow down for photos or to point out specific villas along the coast. The public ferry is a larger, enclosed vessel. It follows a strict and efficient route between the designated public docks.

The focus is on transportation, not the journey itself. The views are still excellent, but the experience is more communal and structured.

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Choosing Which Island to Visit

Your choice of transport may influence which island you see. The private taxi service forces you to pick one.

This is ideal if you have a specific priority, like seeing the Baroque palace and terraced gardens on Isola Bella. You can dedicate your full attention to it without feeling pressured to move on to the next island.

The hop-on hop-off ticket encourages you to try and see multiple islands in one day. This can feel efficient, but it also risks making your visit rushed.

Isola Madre, with its botanical garden and palace, requires a few hours to appreciate properly. Trying to combine it with Isola Bella in one afternoon is a challenging schedule.

Isola dei Pescatori: A Special Case

Isola dei Pescatori (Fisherman’s Island) is the only island with a permanent residential community. It is known for its narrow streets and waterfront restaurants.

A private boat trip here is often chosen by visitors who want a long, relaxed lunch overlooking the water. The public ferry also stops here, but you are constrained by its schedule, which can cut a meal short.

Logistics and Practical Considerations

Practical details will finalize your decision. Private taxi boats depart from several points along the Stresa waterfront.

You can simply walk up and negotiate with a captain, though booking ahead in peak season (July, August) is advised. The meeting point is flexible.

The public hop-on hop-off ferry has a specific and fixed departure point, usually at the main Stresa imbarcadero (boat terminal). You must queue to buy tickets and then wait for your scheduled departure time. If you have limited mobility, the smaller private boats can be more difficult to board than the larger, more stable public ferries, which have ramps.

What to Do with Your Time

On Isola Bella, you will tour the Palazzo Borromeo and its grotto rooms, then walk through the multi-tiered gardens. On Isola Madre, you explore the botanic garden and the palace filled with antique dolls and puppets.

On Isola dei Pescatori, you walk the perimeter path, browse the small shops, and choose a restaurant for lunch. Your mode of transport determines how much time you can allocate to these activities without watching the clock.

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Who Each Option Is Best For

Choose the private taxi boat service if you are in a group of four or more, value privacy, hate fixed schedules, and have a clear favorite island you want to explore deeply. It is also the better choice for a special occasion like an anniversary.

Choose the Isola Bella hop-on hop-off boat tour if you are traveling alone or as a couple, are on a tighter budget, want the option to step onto more than one island, and don’t mind structuring your day around a timetable. It is the efficient, classic way for first-time visitors to get a sample of each island.

Your decision ultimately comes down to a trade-off between cost and control. Both options will get you to the islands.

One offers a personalized journey, and the other offers a standardized, affordable circuit. Assess your budget, your group size, and how you prefer to travel. Then, you can walk to the Stresa waterfront and confidently choose your boat.

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